Touching clouds ...

I find there is something quite exquisite about this little gang on fridays.  They are each a little shy in some way ... each more likely to wait to be greeted than they are to greet sort of thing ... and we've found the most beautiful way to connect at the start of our day.

It usually starts with me connecting with one of the children and drawing them in closer, finding out how they are and what's happening.  They usually end up on my lap or up close and together we greet someone else. As this little wave of love between us increases, the next person is drawn in close and on we go until we are all in a huddle with a bounty of love being shared by all ... hugs and touches and up closeness ... then giggles and laughter and more.   It is quite something else ... starts gently and builds to a soft crescendo of gentle joy and feeling safe and knowing we all belong together for the day.

This morning was no exception and we stayed in that space of feel really good with each other and didn't move out from it for sometime.

When we did, out day couldn't have been more full of beauty and wonder, cooperation and love than it was.

Early on we headed down to the vege patch to collect some spinach to feed the chickens ...

... and trooped off up the path with this, hearst light with joy.

Jyra kept adjusting her spinach so it was up like an umbrella over her head and sang her little heart out the whole way we went ...

Feeding the chickens was only a joy...

Job done and the gravel became our treasure to create with ... Jyra and Ted quite tenderly together alongside the other children too ...

Ari and Jyra had heaps of fun just trying to fill their pockets at one stage ...

... and Dakota who had tended her creation the whole time announced, 'Danella, look ... a sunflower.'

We even encountered a love heart shaped hole in the ground as we walked as if the whole world was telling us that's what our day was made of ...

The windmill shadow moving fast as the wind blew the blades above was fun for ages ... 'Let's get on,' called Dakota.  'O.K.' replied Magnus and they all enjoyed mother natures ride ... sometimes running to keep up with it, others jumping off to see if it would stop ... 

Visiting the worms nearby came next ...

The rest of the day was spent in the witches garden in total harmony, immersed in imaginative play and picnicking.  It was an incredibly beatutiful time with some extra special moments thrown in.

Ari was chatting to me at one stage and as he looked into my face from up close, he started making a noise ... holding a long note a bit like toning as he looked me in the eye.   I joined him and made the same sound back which he LOVED.  All of a sudden we heard a little noise and turned to see a Magpie that had landed right next to us and was watching curiously with it's little head cocked as Ari and I sang our song.   What a compliment really, a visit from one of our master songbirds.

Later in the day, Ari came up to me and said, 'Nella I don't want to play anymore.'   I asked if he wanted to lie down and see what was in the sky.  We were under a beautiful canopy of gum trees and I spread the picnic blanket and lay beside him.  As soon as we looked up, we say a butterfly.  Ari was quite taken with this and we watched the minah birds chase each other and the wind rise and pick up in the leaves and the wisps of clouds gather and drift by.  It was very beautiful and very gentle and one by one the other children stopped their play and came to join us until again we were all in a huddle sharing beauty and love.  I can't tell you how palpable the love and appreciation between the children was.  Then out of a still quiet moment when we all felt connected to each other and what was happening in the sky, Magnus gave a sigh and said, 'You know one day, I want to touch and cloud.'  'Me too Magnus.' replied Dakota and we all knew exactly how they felt.